and as the bells rang out the new year (I saw you)
by CharmedGatekeeper
Summary: It's New Year's in London, and Scarlett is finally appreciating how much their lives have changed...for the better.
_**This is a fic that I meant to have done for New Year's last year, but it didn't work out. Better three months late than never, right?**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own PO5**_

* * *

Ever since Scarlett had hit her teenage years, she had dreamed about having a boyfriend. Not in the way most of the girls she knew had wanted – someone to sneak out with at night and have a make-out session with under the moonlight. She had wanted a friend who was more than a friend, someone who could comfort her and know her in a way no other living being on the planet could.

Maybe she put a _little_ too much thought into it.

For the longest time, she had thought that boy for her would be Aidan. She would've loved it if Aidan turned out to be the guy she had been dreaming about. He knew her well, he understood her, and she really liked him. The sad part? She had been planning to ask him out, just before her dad called her to Hong Kong.

God only knows what happened to him. She didn't want to know. She still doesn't.

But, maybe it was for the best. She had those thoughts before she really learned who she was, before everything strange and crazy that had happened in her life started to make sense. Before she found out exactly what she was, and what she could do. Aidan would never have understood that, even though she knows he would've tried so hard to. There are just some things in life that you can only relate to if you have experienced them yourself. Being a Gatekeeper was one of those things.

So, maybe it's not so surprising that she found a boyfriend in someone who _did_ understand what that was like.

The sun is shining into through the curtains this morning and there's a warmth on her face, a gentle kind of warmth that makes you want to smile to yourself and burrow deeper into bed. Luckily for her, that's exactly where she was. She pulled the soft duvet closer around her shoulders and pushed an arm under her head. She rested her free hand on the arm around her waist, rubbing her thumb over the wrist. She hears a grumble and a groan, and feels the arm tighten slightly and someone tucking their face into her hair.

They still had a lot of nightmares, even after all these years. Twenty-two and she still screamed herself out of visions of monsters and bloodshed. That's why she had started to seek comfort. That's why she had found herself in Matt's room.

Of course, the nights they spent together had started years ago. If she was honest, she came to find Matt these days simply because she wanted to be with him. He's smart and wise, and he can be sweet and funny when he wants to be. He's good company. She likes him, a lot.

She thinks she might love him, actually.

Scarlett can hear him snoring lightly, nose tucked against the back of her head and arm heavy on her waist. He's really warm, _always_ really warm, something that struck her when they first shared a bed.

And no, it wasn't like _that_. God, people are so dirty-minded these days.

She glances at the clock on the nightstand in front, squinting so she can make out the date on the top of the digital screen. 11:46, 31st December. _Oh._

It's New Year's Eve. She's surprised that she hadn't noticed before this. Christmas has been over a few days, how could she not have noticed?

They have to get ready! Richard and Sandra are throwing a party at their apartment in the city today, they have to get dressed, and be there soon, and she has to do her hair and her make-up and doesn't she have some last minute presents to wrap?

"Stop moving," Matt grumbles sleepily, tucking her nose into her neck now. "Tryna sleep."

Scarlett grimaces to herself. Matt usually wakes up earlier than her, and usually is fairly cheerful in the morning. But, whenever he is forced to be woken up, and has to be dragged out of bed, his frame of mind suddenly becomes that of a grumpy toddler. She finds it adorable a lot of the time (a fact that makes Matt scowl even more when mentioned), but she knows today it'll just be a nuisance.

She better suck it up and deal with it.

"No," she whispers, turning slowly in his embrace. "We need to go to that party, remember?"

Matt opens one bright blue eye and stares blearily at her. Then he scrunches up his nose and whines, actually _whines_ , before burying his face in the plump pillow.

"Damn it, Matt," she whispers. She tugs gently on his soft mess of black hair, earning her a sharp hiss. She watches in disbelief as he stubbornly shoves his arms under his head and the pillow, rubbing his face in the white cloth. _Seriously?_

She yanks his hair this time, his groan muffled by the pillow. She pinches his arm next, once, twice, three times. His groan becomes a mouthful of muted gibberish, grumbled lowly into the pillow so that she can't hear.

She can only imagine the choice words he is using right now.

It is at that very moment, that she gets an idea. It's cruel, it's low, but he is forcing her to take desperate measures. _Very_ desperate measures.

He'll forgive her eventually.

Without a warning, she grabs a firm hold of the duvet, and she pulls it off the bed, making a loud cracking sound. Matt immediately curls up into a ball, cursing loud enough for her to hear, even through the pillow. She smirks a little despite herself.

"I'll be in the shower if you need me," she sing-songs, before heading to the bathroom.

He mutters a reply that she knows she's better off not hearing.

* * *

Surprisingly, Matt did not pull the duvet back onto the bed, like she assumed he would. He was actually downstairs when she came out of the shower, dressed in loose boxers and a t-shirt, hair sticking up at all angles. For a guy who revels in recounting the state Richard was in when they first met, he isn't much better.

And he cooked breakfast. He's full of surprises this morning!

Now, he's straightened himself out a bit. She watches him dress as she adjusts her hair one last time. His outfit is very simple – a close-fitted jumper, jeans and a pair of new leather boots. He runs a comb through his hair quickly as she watches. There's a shadow on his jaw, but no sign of stubble. She has to admit, he's quite handsome.

And he's also quite talented at making himself look decent with minimum effort. She almost feels like she's dressing up too much after watching him. She'd spent a good ten minutes picking out a dress, another good ten minutes applying her make-up. Her hair took fifteen.

The look on Matt's face when he finally saw her was _so_ worth it.

Then again, his reaction might've been a little inconvenient, given their circumstances. And maybe a little flattering.

So much for leaving on time.

She makes sure Matt texts Richard to let him know they'll be late.

* * *

They _do_ finally make it to the party – an hour late, not that bad! They greet everybody and they laugh and they joke. Scarlett smirks to herself the whole time because Matt's got a large bruise on his neck that he spent fifteen futile minutes trying to cover up, and Richard is teasing him about it.

She's never been more proud of herself. Or seen Matt so red.

"Scar!" she hears a little voice say. Scarlett turns around and smiles.

Little Matthew Cole is the image of his godfather. He's nearly two, with big bright blue eyes and thick black hair. He's just begun to walk by himself, hobbling on his little legs. Scarlett adores him.

"Hello, hello," she beams, crouching down just in time to catch him. Then she stands and carefully holds the hyperactive toddler at her hip.

She can still remember the day that little Matthew was born. Richard and Sandra were only married a year, and they both admitted that they hadn't expected it.

" _Richard, stop. You're making us all nervous." Matt groaned. Scarlett nodded in agreement, watching as the journalist paced back and forth in front of the delivery room door. She yawned slightly and rested her head on Matt's shoulder._

" _I can't!" Richard snapped, running his fingers through his hair in agitation. "That's my wife in there, giving birth to our child!" He stopped, turned to face the door, and then turned back to face the Five, pursing his lips. "I should be in there."_

" _I don't what to tell you, Rich. The nurse didn't want you in there," Scarlett turned as Scott shrugged slightly. She secretly thought that maybe it was a good idea to keep him out – poor Sandra was probably stressed enough without her husband freaking out beside her._

" _Bloody nonsense," Richard growled. "If I want to be in there, I should be given the right to be in there!"_

" _It will be over soon," Pedro said soothingly._

" _That's not the bloody point!"_

 _It was almost a relief to the Five when the door opened, and the midwife came out. "Mr Cole? You can come in now."_

 _The former journalist practically shot into the room, following the midwife. It was about ten minutes before the rest of them were allowed inside._

 _Sandra was asleep when they did come in eventually, the five of them silent. While the boys stood awkwardly around the bed, Scarlett immediately went to the chair beside it. Richard was sitting there, with a little bundle in his arms. "Oh, he's beautiful," she cooed._

 _And he was – a tiny little boy with a tuft of dark hair on his head, round blue eyes and chubby little hands that were grasping onto his father's thumb. The baby stared up at her curiously as she smiled down at him. She glanced up at Richard. "What's his name?"_

 _Richard gave a little grin. "Matthew. Matthew Cole."_

" _Matthew?" Scarlett heard Matt say behind her. She turned to look at him, seeing the shock on his face._

" _Well, we – Sandra and I, that is – thought it would be nice to name him after his godfather," Richard said simply. Scarlett watched as a worried frown appeared on his face. "That is, if you want to be his godfather."_

 _Matt's eyes grew wide. She would've laughed at how he opened and closed his mouth a few times, obviously lost for words, if it wasn't for the monumental gift that Richard was willing to give him. Eventually he nodded, smiling slightly. "I'd be honoured," he whispered._

"Scar!" the toddler says grumpily. Obviously he called her a few times before this, while she was distracted by her memories. She quickly bounces him in her arms, nuzzling his rosy cheek. His little giggles let her know that she is forgiven.

* * *

Little Matthew only stayed up until half nine. By then he was asleep, his little head rested on his father's chest. It was one of the sweetest things that Scarlett had ever seen.

After Sandra had put him to bed, they all decide to kill the time until midnight by chatting properly. Pedro had finally proposed to his girlfriend a few days earlier, not that it was a surprise to anyone. She still laughs at the memory of Matt and the twins trying to explain a proposal to the Peruvian. Of course, Indigo had been delighted and they were already planning the wedding.

Scott and Jamie were still living together, although Jamie and Holly were planning to buy an apartment together. Scott was now in a band (as a guitarist, who would have thought it?), while Jamie had a job with Scotland Yard and Holly was an author. Of course, Richard was still working for a paper. He actually had a very popular column, while Sandra was a photographer for the same paper. Apparently that's how they made in the first place, though Scarlett has her own theories.

Then Matt tells them about his promotion to captain of the Crystal Palace football team, the same team that was only up the road from his childhood home in Dulwich, and Scarlett tells them about the fashion design course that she's taking in uni. Things are great, for everyone. That's what they all get from it.

 _It's nice to finally have a normal life_ , Scarlett thinks. They barely get recognised anymore as the "miracle children" – the fame is gone, and they couldn't be happier for it.

It's perfect.

"Hey, it's almost midnight!" Jamie says excitedly.

 _Ten, nine, eight…_

Scarlett grins, following everyone racing out to the balcony of the apartment, waiting for the fireworks. There are people below, milling in the street and the park. She can hear them all chanting down the seconds until the New Year rings out. The giddiness starts to build inside her.

 _Six, five, four…_

She laughs as strong arms twirl her around gently. Matt is grinning down at her, a happiness in his face that she never saw before Oblivion. It's proof of how much their lives have changed – for the better.

 _Three, two…_

"I love you," he murmurs in her ear, pulling her close.

She kisses him as the bells ring out midnight and fireworks light up the night sky. "I love you too."


End file.
